Seeing a Way Forward: Dave Nuckols

February 11, 2019

5:33 PM

Dave Nuckols is a 2019 General Conference delegate who also served on the Commission on a Way Forward. He spoke with UM News as part of “Seeing a Way Forward,” a video series featuring different perspectives of church leaders on the work of the Commission on a Way Forward.

Way Forward member addresses questions about GC2019

Dave Nuckols

General Conference 2019 delegate Dave Nuckols served on the Commission on A Way Forward. (Video Image from United Methodist News Service).

Dave Nuckols has been getting a lot of questions leading up to the special 2019 General Conference. Some of them, he says, are misconceptions that must be clarified.

“Why I support the One Church Plan”

Dave Nuckols feels the One Church Plan strikes a compromise that would de-escalate the heightened tension surrounding the church’s debate on homosexuality.

One Church Plan supporter analyzes other plans

Though he’s for the One Church Plan being considered at the special 2019 General Conference, Dave Nuckols sees aspects of some of the other plans that he likes.

Homosexuality debate “should not define us.”

Dave Nuckols said there’s global momentum behind the One Church Plan as a way to avoid schism in The United Methodist Church.

One Church Plan has both pros and cons for LGBTQ United Methodists

Dave Nuckols serves on the board of the United Methodist Reconciling Ministries Network. He said that while the One Church Plan does require a lot of compromise for LGBTQ United Methodists, many of the reconciling churches he’s spoken with support the legislation.

Expect deeper conflict if no plan passes

Dave Nuckols said that if delegates fail to pass any of the Way Forward plans considered at the special 2019 General Conference, it won’t mean we just “stay where we are.”

“God’s not done with The United Methodist Church.”

There is much anxiety over the future of The United Methodist Church as the special 2019 General Conference draws near, but Dave Nuckols feels there is still hope if “inward-facing arguments” can be dropped in favor of focusing on the church’s mission to transform the world.

This is the 18th in a series of video interviews by United Methodist News Service. View all interviews.

Comments (3)

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No explicit affirmation.

But there is an implicit affirmation in allowing marriages within the sanctuary and setting LGBT ministers apart for leadership. If the One Church Plan passes or no plan passes, conservative annual conferences will have a decision to make in the summer of 2019. If the Traditional Plan passes, then it will be full on battle royale, because the progressives don't want to leave. They want to protest. I don't see how you pass the Connectional Plan especially if 2/3rds of annual conferences have to affirm.

Hopefully, this all works out for the best.

Anonymous more than 5 years ago

You are not listening to traditionalists

Continuing on in a morass of conflicting and contradictory theological plurality is NOT ACCEPTABLE. The church needs to go one direction or the other. Everybody needs their freedom to live out their beliefs. The reality is the One Church Plan does nothing more than make the progressive understanding an official teaching of the church. On a more pragmatic level, it also creates space to include those who have refused to abide by the current polity. There is no reason to believe that once progressive teaching is legitamized, there is absolutely no reason to believe they will back off and allow traditionalists to "do their thing". And then there is the expanded question of sexuality that is being ignored by the One Church Plan.

betsy more than 5 years ago

I wish somebody would specifically explain

this statement:"the church’s mission to transform the world." After spending years cruising the internet listening to every voice I could find within the UMC, my impression is everybody has their own understanding of "the church’s mission to transform the world". I am also confused by some Bishops who refer to the 'United Methodist witness", again, I find no hint that everybody is operating from a single understanding of a "United Methodist witness".

betsy more than 5 years ago